ORLANDO, Fla. – Tropical Storm Helene formed in the Caribbean on Tuesday on a projected path toward Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The latest forecast shows Helene growing into a major Category 3 hurricane within the next 48 hours as it approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast. The system is expected to move into prime real estate for rapid intensification Wednesday and Thursday.
[RELATED: Central Florida impacts | Watches vs warnings | COUNTY-BY-COUNTY: Sandbag locations | Here’s what the ‘dirty side’ of a storm means | DOWNLOAD: WKMG-TV free hurricane app]
Since 2000, eight major hurricanes have made landfall in Florida, according to Philip Klotzbach, a Colorado State University hurricane researcher.
The exact location and intensity of the storm by Thursday afternoon remains a bit uncertain. As the system develops further, we should get a better picture of our local impacts in Central Florida.
As of the 11 p.m. advisory, the disturbance had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and was moving west-northwest at 10 mph.
[RELATED: Here’s when a tropical storm becomes a hurricane]
Helene is expected to continue moving northwest Tuesday, followed by a faster north, north-northeast motion on Wednesday and Thursday.
The center of the system is forecast to move across the far northwestern Caribbean Sea to near the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico through Tuesday night, and then move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico Wednesday and Thursday, potentially reaching the Gulf Coast of Florida late Thursday, according to the NHC.
Watches and warnings have been issued for parts of Florida ahead of the projected major hurricane.
As of now, Central Floridians can expect squally weather on Thursday packing gusty winds and tropical downpours. Due to the potential tropical weather, parts of Central Florida are now under a tropical storm watch.
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday declared a state of emergency for 61 counties, including all of Central Florida.
Several cities in Central Florida announced they will be opening up sandbag locations. Click here to see the list.
In the Atlantic
Meanwhile, in the Atlantic, a tropical wave near the Cabo Verde Islands is expected to develop this week and could become a tropical depression as it moves west, west-northwest across the Atlantic.
It has a 40% chance of development in the next 48 hours and an 80% chance of development in the next seven days.
Hurricane season runs through November.
Meteorologist Jonathan Kegges provides the latest information about everything happening in the tropics.
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